1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reproducer for reproducing a slide show, a digital camera, a slide show reproduction method, a program, an image display apparatus that effectively switches a plurality of image shots to display the image shots, an image display method, and an image display program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with the widespread use of digital cameras, recording media for recording digital data are also growing in capacity, and when compared with the age when film cameras were mainly used, a large quantity of images can now be shot easily.
In view of such circumstances, in addition to a conventional method by which images are printed out as photos and an album of these photos is created to appreciate these photos, various appreciation methods of images acquired by shooting have been proposed.
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-297424 discloses a digital camera capable of easily reproducing a slide show with sound by combining a plurality of recorded images and sound. In the digital camera disclosed by Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-297424, a still image reproduction means is caused to reproduce still images of a still image file recorded in a memory card to display the reproduced still images in an LCD panel, and still images to be used for a slide show are selected from among a plurality of displayed still images by a still image selection means. On the other hand, a sound reproduction means is caused to reproduce sound of a recorded sound file to insert each of selected still images into a plurality of locations of a sound sequence of the sound file by an insertion means and the LCD panel is caused to display slide show data in which still images are inserted in the sound sequence by a still image sound display means.
The slide show reproduction is an image reproduction method by which a plurality of images are continuously reproduced by switching images in a predetermined time.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-5988 discloses a photo appreciation system in which a vibration sensor is provided in a digital camera and the display mode of photos on a display is changed by swinging the digital camera. In the photo appreciation system disclosed by Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-5988, when a digital camera connected to a display means is swung by a user, the display mode of images displayed in the display means changes.
Further, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2006-87049 discloses an imaging device that can easily be made to perform a predetermined operation. In the imaging device disclosed by Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2006-87049, if the posture of the imaging device is different from a posture X, the imaging device checks whether the posture thereof has returned to the posture X within a fixed time. If the imaging device determines that the posture thereof has returned to the posture X within a fixed time, that is, the imaging device is swung, a reproduced image displayed in a display means provided with the imaging device is changed. Accordingly, the display of reproduced images can be forwarded solely by swinging the imaging device without any button operation.
Incidentally, with the technological innovation in digital cameras in recent years, progress has been made in higher sensitivity and expansion of the range of exposure control, and also recording media are growing in capacity. Further, when compared with the age of film cameras, the high-speed consecutive shooting function has markedly improved so that camera users can enjoy shooting in an easygoing fashion to acquire a large quantity of images. Also in recent years, cameras having a function to judge the facial expression of persons who are objects have appeared on the market, making it easier to shoot photos of smiling faces.
Methods of enjoying such a large quantity of photos include the conventional method of printing photos and appreciation of a slide show by a monitor device. Among these methods, the slide show simply displays digital images sequentially in a monitor and may soon become boring. Thus, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-354333 discloses an image reproducer capable of providing a slide show with variety. In the image reproducer disclosed by Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-354333, an image shot is displayed while a portion in a target range in the image shot is gradually zoomed up so that a slide show is made by giving an impression as if the target range in an image gradually jumps out.
According to an image reproducer disclosed by Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-354333, variety can be given during a slide show.